To:
Doug Ford, Minister of Education, and all PC MPP's

Say NO to Ford: Education Cuts Hurt Kids!

Dear Premier, Minister, and other important parties,
please do not cut funds in public education for all the promising and bright young students across Ontario. The result of these cuts will be detrimental in the learning and development of youth today and youth of the future.

Why is this important?

As a result of these cuts, several teachers across the board will lose their jobs. This will create a bigger discrepancy in the student to teacher ratio and fewer classes overall. Students in Mississauga have already noticed fewer course options and electives being cut (Chen). Thus, the courses students are interested in will be eliminated, preventing them from exploring a variety of interests. This will make it harder for them to gain the knowledge and skills they need to be successful. Furthermore, Diane Dewing, the president of the Ontario Teachers’ Federation, is worried about how school boards will explain certain courses moving forward (Chen). “We fear that art classes, which often have small numbers of students, will disappear because there simply won’t be the funding to have that teacher”(Dewing).
Forcing teachers to take on a huge number of students whether in the classroom or via e-learning will also decrease the quality of education students are receiving. Not only does it reduce individual support for students, but also reduces the engagement of students in their classes. At a time where mental health issues are skyrocketing among young people and being acknowledged, these cuts will make it even more difficult to support these students (Durkacz).
As a student myself with a post-secondary pathway in mind to eventually work in education. Being able to find a job is now a huge concern. Since it presents me with an uncertainty of whether or not I'll be able to find a stable job. This isn't only a problem that applies to me but is a problem for many young well-qualified teachers. So many educators have been waiting after many years of occasional work to get a permanent job, "only to see their hope turn to despair" (Durkacz).
The purpose of improvements to the education system should be to improve the well-being and learning of Ontarians instead of doing the opposite, hurting them. If you care about the education for the youth of today, tomorrow, and the future. What are you waiting for? Sign our petition now!